Specialist home insurer Hiscox has commissioned research which reveals that homeowners are exposing themselves by leaving valuable sports equipment, unsecured, in gardens and garages. The goods, with an average value of £770, are left in gardens and car boots by 53% of the professionals surveyed. More than a quarter (26%) also admitted that their gardens and outbuildings were not properly secured. Two out of every five either do use their sporting... 

avantia Insurance has launched a new homeprotect service after the viability of such a move was proved by its pilot project which provided instant online cover to non-standard buyers of home insurance. Brokers and other providers have been invited by avantia to join the platform, with the aim of providing a one-stop shop and saving both time and costs. Since last year homeprotect has been trialled mostly online to non-standard customers, who comprise... 

The US Insurance Information Institute has reported that dog bites now account for more than one-third of all homeowners’ insurance liability claims, costing $412 million in 2009, the total having risen 8.7% on a year earlier. Figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention show that more than 4.7 million people in the US are being bitten by dogs annually, resulting in an estimated 800,000 injuries requiring medical attention.... 

Britons taking extended holidays abroad are reminded that they could risk leaving their homes uninsured if they intend to be away for more than 30 days. According to research from moneysupermarket.com, the small print on home insurance policies varies between providers, with some insurers only offering existing cover for unoccupied homes for a maximum of 30 days, while for others the limit is 60 days. The price comparison website also warns that... 

Legal & General (L&G) has launched a personal panic alarm application for the iPhone. The move has been prompted by research from the University of Leicester which suggests that criminals are increasingly favouring personal muggings over burglaries. The trend is though to be connected to lower-priced home electricals, such as DVD players, which currently have little resale value. Items such as iPods, which are carried on the person, have... 

Research carried out by moneysupermarket.com has identified the top 20 hotspots for home insurance claims for theft. While London households are the most likely to make a theft-related claim, with postcodes in the Capital taking half of the top 20 places, a Manchester postcode holds the top spot for the highest number of theft claims. The analysis involved over 1.1 million home insurance enquiries made on the website during 2009, with the top 10... 

Virgin Money is reminding homeowners that not all home insurance policies cover digital music and film collections. According to the media and finance group, CD sales decreased by close to 10% during the first half of 2010. During the same period the online download market grew by 34%, meaning that music and movie fans are increasingly at risk of losing their entire collections if their insurer does not include datafiles as personal possessions.... 

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is urging the government to make investment in flood defences a priority, despite the squeeze on spending. Speaking at the Local Government Flood Forum, the Association’s director of general insurance, Nick Starling, said a long-term flood prevention strategy, backed by the right level of investment, is crucial if homes, services and businesses are to be properly protected. The ABI estimates for every... 

Online car insurer swiftcover.com is branching out, and from 27th July will be offering a home insurance product it hopes will shake up the market. The insurer offers a quick and clear quote generator, with potential customers provided with quotes only on aspects they wish to be covered, enabling them to escape being charged for items they do not want to buy. This prevents policyholders from acquiring unnecessary coverage (such as insurance for... 

Insurers are currently exposing over 2,300 fraudulent claims every week, according to new data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The figure has risen from a weekly total of 2,000 dishonest claims in 2009, worth over £16 million. Last year, 122,000 fraudulent insurance claims were uncovered, up 14% on a year earlier. By value, 4% of all claims were fraudulent in 2009, with motor insurance claims highest in value (£410 million), although... 

Hidden keys, open windows, timid neighbours and Twitter all make life easy for burglars, according to research from MORE TH> N. The insurer has taken the unusual step of consulting with reformed criminals to identify ways in which homeowners make themselves vulnerable, and 68% of those questioned said they collected information about their target’s home and routine in advance of committing a crime. Twelve per cent turned to sites such as Facebook,... 

Protect your bubble, which is an Assurant Direct brand, has launched a new iPhone policy and is claiming that the product costs less than half the price of iPhone insurance currently offered by some networks. At £5.99 a month, the policy includes worldwide cover for accidental damage (including water damage) and theft, plus mechanical breakdown once the Apple warranty expires. The cost is the same for all iPhone models and policyholders also benefit... 

Fortis is claiming to be the UK’s first leading personal lines insurer to invest in a new suite of computer models that can predict the relative risk of claims for a number of insured perils across the country. The Perils Insight suite from Business Insight can give a detailed perspective on the distribution of risk relating to household insurance. Using the latest available information on the weather, the economy and the local environment,... 

Fortis Insurance and American Express have announced a five-year strategic partnership to provide motor and household insurance products to American Express customer in the UK. For Fortis, the agreement follows on from a number of significant new affinity deals during 2009 and will further complement its multi-channel distribution strategy. The insurer’s UK managing director, Andy Watson, says: “The strength of the  Read More →

A new study from Vantage Research and Researchcraft suggests that half of all home insurance buyers are struggling in the current economic climate, resulting in only one in three automatically renewing with their insurer. The majority of homeowners surveyed were open to the idea of switching provider, however, for many consumers specific aspects of service from an insurer were just as important as price. The research also suggests that while two-thirds...